Death of the Author: The Dreaded Synopsis

If you are seriously considering getting an agent, whether it be for a picture book or the next Great American novel, you’re going to have to put together a package for submission. Writing the novel and polishing it up is just the first step. Now what you do next is debatable. Some say you need to run it by a team of beta readers, or possibly a sensitivity reader. Some will suggest paying an editor (I NEVER recommend this. If your grammar is so bad it can’t be submitted then you need to work on your craft a bit. You shouldn’t be paying anyone without any guarantee of a return on the investment). What cannot be debated is what you will be asked to turn in if someone is really going to consider representing you.

• Query - That’s the email you send to the agent asking for representation

• Full manuscript - If you’re submitting fiction you need to be completely done with the piece.

• Synopsis - This is a 1-2 page summary of your novel

Of all the things that I’ve heard writers complain about, synopses are at the top of the list. The synopsis is supposed to boil down your 200+ page novel down to it’s plot points, but it can’t read like bullet points. A good synopsis should give you a good idea as to what happens, spoilers included. It should also retain a bit of the voice and flow that you used in your novel. No matter how many I write I find it nerve wracking every time. I’ve also heard that one page is ideal, but I’ve never been able to do it. I’ve never had anyone complain, but I wouldn’t push it.

You will want your submission to be in standard font and double spaced. Don’t try to fudge the word count by shrinking the text. This is a lesson in brevity. It is the ultimate lesson in efficiency. a) Forget sub-plots. They eat up too may words. You are going to focus on your main characters and their emotional arc. b) Forget names for all the side characters. They don’t matter yet. They can be “friend” for now or “sister”. c) It’s all about setup and close out. Spend the bulk of your words creating the opening and closing. They’ll just have to read the entire novel to get the nuance. d) Spoil it. If they are asking for a synopsis they’re really considering representation or you’re at the editorial stage and they want to considering bringing the novel to their team offer a deal. There’s no need to be coy. They want to know if there’s something meaty and different about your novel. Tell them.

So now that you have an idea of what you’re supposed to do, let’s see what it looks like in practice. Here is the query and synopsis for my Middle Grade Fantasy novel, The Fall of the House of Tatterly.

A captivating story about a young boy with a unique gift, perfect for fans of The Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste or Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes.

Twelve-year-old Theo Tatterly's ability to see ghosts is a useful skill in a house full of dead relatives, but it makes him a loner at school and everywhere else, where ghosts eternally pester him for help. For Theo, life is easier on the periphery. When his first failed exorcism portends an end to the Tatterly line, Theo must bring together his entire family--living and dead--to save the home they've lived in for generations . . . and maybe the world.

You can purchase the novel wherever you like to buy books. It was sold as a duology and the companion novel THE RISE OF ISSA IGWE came out in October 2024.

---

In case you missed some of my earlier posts on craft, you can check these out below. If this rings your bell you can BUY ME A COFFEE